Wallis and Futuna

Parliamentary Democracy (Territorial Assembly)Pop16KCP0.0→Beta

Wallis and Futuna

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Overview

Background: <p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: 18.0pt; background: white;">Around 800 B.C., the first settlers arrived on the islands of Wallis and Futuna, which are a natural midpoint between Fiji and Samoa. Around A.D. 1500, Tongans invaded Wallis, and a chiefdom system resembling Tonga’s formal hierarchy developed on the island. Tongans attempted to settle Futuna but were repeatedly rebuffed. Samoans settled Futuna in the 1600s, and a slightly less centralized chiefdom system formed. Dutch explorers were the first Europeans to see the islands in 1616, followed intermittently by other Europeans, including British explorer Samuel WALLIS in 1767. French Catholic missionaries were the first Europeans to permanently settle Wallis and Futuna in 1837, and they converted most of the population of both islands by 1846. The missionaries and newly converted King LAVELUA of Uvea on Wallis asked France for a protectorate in 1842 following a local rebellion. France agreed, although the protectorate status would not be ratified until 1887. In 1888, King MUSULAMU of Alo and King TAMOLE of Sigave, both on Futuna, signed a treaty establishing a French protectorate; the Wallis and Futuna protectorate was integrated into the territory of New Caledonia the same year. France renegotiated the terms of the protectorate with the territory’s three kings in 1910, expanding French authority.

Wallis and Futuna was the only French colony to side with the Vichy regime during World War II, until the arrival of Free French and US troops in 1942. In 1959, inhabitants of the islands voted to separate from New Caledonia, becoming a French overseas territory in 1961. Despite the split, a significant Wallisian and Futunan community still lives in New Caledonia. In 2003, Wallis and Futuna became a French overseas collectivity. The islands joined the Pacific Islands Forum as an associate member in 2018, two years after France’s other Pacific territories became full members of the organization.

Geography

Area

Land: 142 sq km
Note: note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
Water: 0 sq km
Total: 142 sq km

Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 250-300 cm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees Celsius
Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills

Land Use

Other: 0% (2023 est.)
Forest: 74.9% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 42.3% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 35.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Coastline: 129 km

Elevation

Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 522 m

Irrigated land: 0.6 sq km (2022)
Map references: Oceania

Land Boundaries

Total: 0 km

Maritime Claims

Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards: cyclones; tsunamis
Geography note: both island groups have fringing reefs; Wallis contains several prominent crater lakes
Natural resources: NEGL
Area comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates: 13 18 S, 176 12 W

People & Society

Literacy

Male: 99.9% (2023 est.)
Female: 100% (2023 est.)
Total population: 99.8% (2023 est.)

Languages: Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) 58.9%, Futunian 30.1%, French (official) 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Sex Ratio

At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0 14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15 64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 11.63 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 35.5 years
Total: 36.9 years (2025 est.)
Female: 37.3 years

Population

Male: 8,217
Total: 15,998 (2025 est.)
Female: 7,781

Nationality

Noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
Adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Urbanization

Urban population: 0% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years: 19.8% (male 1,643/female 1,511)
15 64 years: 67.5% (male 5,535/female 5,247)
65 years and over: 12.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,023/female 1,005)

Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 48.7 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 29 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural: rural: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: NA

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: 0.19% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.84 (2025 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 78.2 years
Female: 84.2 years
Total population: 81.1 years (2024 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural: rural: 94.2% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 94.2% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 5.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 5.8% of population (2022 est.)

Major urban areas population: 1,000 MATA-UTU (capital) (2018)
Currently married women (ages 15 49): 57.2% (2018 est.)

Government

Flag: description: unofficial local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; a small flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper-left corner

meaning: the triangles represent the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator

history: the design is derived from a red flag with a white cross that French missionaries introduced in the 19th century

Capital

Name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
Time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship: see France

Constitution

History: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Amendment process: French constitution amendment procedures apply

Country Name

Former: Hoorn Islands is the former name of the Futuna Islands
Etymology: Wallis Island is named after British Captain Samuel WALLIS, who visited in 1767; Futuna is a local name, and the meaning is unclear
Local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
Local short form: Wallis et Futuna
Conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
Conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna

Independence: none (overseas collectivity of France)
Legal system: French civil law
Government type: parliamentary democracy (Territorial Assembly); overseas collectivity of France

Judicial Branch

Note: note 1: appeals beyond the Court of Assizes are heard before the Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel (in Noumea, New Caledonia)

note 2: justice is generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the 3 traditional kings administer customary law
Highest court(s): Court of Assizes or Cour d'Assizes (consists of 1 judge; court hears primarily serious criminal cases)
Subordinate courts: courts of first instance; labor court
Judge selection and term of office: NA

Executive Branch

Note: note: there are 3 traditional kings with limited powers
Cabinet: Council of the Territory appointed by the administrator superior on the advice of the Territorial Assembly
Chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Administrator Superior Jean-François de MANHEULLE (since 17 November 2025)
Head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Munipoese MULI'AKA'AKA (since 20 March 2022)
Election/appointment process: French president elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); administrator superior appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly elected by assembly members

National holiday: Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)
Dependency status: overseas collectivity of France
National color(s): red, white
Political parties: Left Radical Party or PRG (formerly Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)
Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians)
Rally for Wallis and Futuna-The Republicans (Rassemblement pour Wallis and Futuna) or RPWF-LR
Socialist Party or PS
Taumu'a Lelei
Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Legislative Branch

Note: note: 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a 5-year term
Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 20 (directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Legislature name: Territorial Assembly (Assemblée territoriale)
Scope of elections: full renewal
Legislative structure: unicameral
Most recent election date: 3/20/2022
Parties elected and seats per party: Ofa mo'oni ki tou fenua (2); Mauli fetokoniaki (2); 1 seat each from 16 other lists

National Anthem(s)

Title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)
History: official anthem, as a French territory
Lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle

National symbol(s): red saltire (Saint Andrew's Cross) on a white square on a red field
Administrative divisions: 3 administrative precincts (circonscriptions, singular - circonscription) Alo, Sigave, Uvea
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas collectivity of France)
International organisations: PIF (observer), SPC, UPU

Economy

Budget

Revenues: $32.54 million (2015 est.)
Expenditures: $34.18 million (2015 est.)

Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Exchange Rates

Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020: 104.711 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 100.88 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 113.474 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 110.347 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024: 110.31 (2024 est.)

Economic overview: lower-middle-income, agrarian French dependency economy; heavily reliant on French subsidies; licenses fishing rights to Japan and South Korea; major remittances from New Caledonia; aging workforce; import-dependent; deforestation-fueled fragility
Exports partners: Denmark 35%, Sweden 14%, Netherlands 14%, Pakistan 9%, Poland 7% (2023)
Imports partners: Fiji 35%, France 32%, NZ 11%, Australia 6%, China 4% (2023)
Agricultural products: coconuts, breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish
Exports commodities: seats (2023)
Imports commodities: refined petroleum, prepared meat, poultry, iron pipe fittings, animal food (2023)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 45.8% (2021 est.)

Broadcast media: publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which broadcasts to France's overseas departments, collectivities, and territories, is carried on the RFO Wallis and Fortuna TV and radio stations (2019)
Internet country code: .wf

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 3,000 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2021 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 12,200 (2023)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2023)

Transport

Ports

Large: 0
Small: 0
Medium: 0
Key ports: Mata-Utu
Very small: 1
Total ports: 1 (2024)
Ports with oil terminals: 0

Airports: 2 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total: 1 (2023)
BY type: general cargo 1

Environment

Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 250-300 cm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees Celsius

Land Use

Other: 0% (2023 est.)
Forest: 74.9% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 42.3% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 35.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 0% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) due to wood as the main fuel source; soil erosion; lack of natural freshwater resources; lack of soil fertility on the islands of Uvea and Futuna

Military & Security

Military note: defense is the responsibility of France

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Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Wallis and Futuna — vintage 2026-Q1: Wallis and Futuna factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/wallis-and-futuna

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Sources: CIA World Factbook